Louis’ Lunch

If you’re looking for an old-fashioned “dive” type burger place, look no further then the place where the hamburger was said to have been invented. Louis’ Lunch.

Right in downtown New Haven is a tiny red and black building that serves up these medium rare burger on white toast. White toast you say? Yes. White toast. Apparently that’s how the first burger was said to have been ordered. The Louis’ Lunch website says that a customer who was in a hurry asked for broiled beef between two slices of white bread and there you have it, the burger was born!

If you’re expecting the best burger you’ve ever had, you will be disappointed. Now that’s not saying it wasn’t good because I loved it. Medium rare was the way to go, it was juicy and the meat had flavor. I heard people order it well done but I think that would be a mistake at Louis’.

Check out the Foxon Park sodas they serve as well. They are a local company in nearby East Haven that uses sugar in their drinks instead of corn syrup. Flavors include Kola, Root Beer, Grape, Orange, and Birch Beer which I had.

Ordering can be scary. There is a certain way to order at Louis’ and you should listen in when you’re there and look at the small menu they have to understand how to do it. Don’t worry, you won’t be the only person there for the first time. For example, to order a cheeseburger with nothing on it you’d say, “One cheese, plain.” Just a plain hamburger, “One ham, plain.” Get it? Got it? Good.

KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE ARE NO CONDIMENTS AT LOUIS’ LUNCH!!! Ketchup is frowned upon. The only toppings of any kind are tomato and onion. At Louis’ a burger with tomato and onion is called “the works.”

Another note: You will be sitting with strangers at this place, it might be loud and crowded, embrace it, that’s the type of environment it is. Louis’ is a small place, the wood is all carved up with names of people that have been there as well as scribblings like “Bob LUVS Mary.”